Corporate | 9 March 2011 08:30
AURELIUS AG / Key word(s): Disposal 09.03.2011 / 08:30 AURELIUS sells Book Club Associates (BCA) to Webb Group Munich, 9 March 2011 - Munich-based AURELIUS group (ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8) has sold its subsidiary Book Club Associates Ltd. (BCA), Britain's biggest mail order and online book seller, to the Webb Group, Burton upon Trent, the UK's leading service provider of retail home entertainment products, including games, DVDs, music and gifts. Commenting on the acquisition, The Webb Group CEO Joe McNicholas said: 'We are delighted with the acquisition of BCA. It adds new and strong brands to our existing portfolio of market leading mail order and e-commerce entertainment brands. More than a quarter of a million new customers will be included in the Group's already existing database of over one million mail order and online buyers of entertainment products.' AURELIUS acquired BCA from Bertelsmann's DirectGroup Division at the end of 2008. Over the past two years BCA has undergone a comprehensive restructuring program led by AURELIUS. As a result of measures implemented during this period, the Business has successfully leveraged its operating cost base. Investments in a new IT system, improved online offerings along with a successful in-sourcing of customer service functions while improving overall customer satisfaction and retention resulted in an improvement of BCA's operating performance and membership base. After the completion of the Business' reorganization, AURELIUS is pleased to sell the business to a true strategic investor, capable of creating further synergies and a sustainable future for the Business and its employees. AURELIUS Group were advised on the transaction by an in-house legal and M&A team as well as Catherine Drew of Charles Russell LLP (Legal) and David Norton of Deloitte & Touche LLP (Tax). About Aurelius AURELIUS AG is an industrial holding with a long-term investment horizon focusing on the acquisition of companies with potential for development. AURELIUS has some longstanding investment and management experience in various industries. By applying management capacities and the necessary funding for investments in innovative products, distribution and research AURELIUS constantly advances its portfolio companies. With offices in Munich and London as well as 15 portfolio companies in Germany, England, France, Ireland, Poland, the Netherlands and Switzerland, AURELIUS operates throughout Europe. The shares of AURELIUS AG are traded on the open market of the Frankfurt stock exchange (ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8). For more information, please visit http://www.aureliusinvest.com. Press contact AURELIUS AG Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Phone +49 (89) 544799 - 0 Fax +49 (89) 544799 - 55 investor@aureliusinvest.de End of Corporate News --------------------------------------------------------------------- 09.03.2011 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------- 114866 09.03.2011